Chained Fear
by matsuokaas
Summary: "You need to get over your fear, Narumi. It'll just drag you down." Harada Narumi, a seventeen year old student attending Iwatobi High School, has a fear of men. She bumps into Matsuoka Rin at a swim meet and romance sparks. But how will Narumi take it with her fear chaining her down?


Narumi was dragged furiously down the hall of a swimming center. She was forcefully yanked by the hand, yet she never once complained. There was no use really.

"We're going to be late, Narumi! And its all your fault." Yuki pouted.

"I had to finish a book…" Narumi trailed. She started reading a couple hours before the time they designated to meet up, but she was so engrossed in the book that time flew by way too quick.

Yuki stopped in her tracks. Narumi gasped as she slammed into her back, their heads bumping. "You need to make more friends, Naru-san."

Narumi sighed. Not this conversation again… "I'm sorry I don't have crowds of admirers following me every corner, like you, Yuki-chan. I'd rather be alone," Yuki turned around with her black hair dangerously flowing around her, "okay, alone or with you and Kaito-chan." She corrected.

Yuki smiled victoriously. "Speaking of which, where is Kai-chan?" She held a perfectly manicured finger to her lips.

"I-I don't know. Maybe his with your brother?" Narumi shrugged.

"Hm… Likely. Okay, lets go meet them!" Yuki clutched Narumi's hand again and pulled her along for the rest of the short way to her brother.

"Y-Yuki-chan! I've never m-met your brother before, and you know how I get…" Her face drained of colour as realization seeped in. There would be guys here, and a large number at that! She normally fainted and felt terrified around the other gender.

"I'm sure it'll be fine." She waved it off. "I swear, you and that condition… An-anthropia? Andophobia?"

"Androphobia." She sighed. Her breathing rapidly increased with every step, and she started sweating. "I-I don't want to do this anymore. Let me go home!"

"No! Your staying and seeing my brother swim, and that's final!" Yuki wasn't going to budge, and Narumi knew that, but she had to keep trying.

"Yuki-chan, I have a fear of guys, you know that better than anyone, so please, let me go~." Narumi could feel her heart beating frantically, and the sound rung around her head. Badum, badum, badum.

"No, I told you. I haven't seen him in ages, and I want you to meet him, maybe you could even get over that silly fear." Yuki slowly came to a stop in front of a set of double doors.

Yuki opened the door before Narumi had anytime to retaliate. On the other side of the door, friends were mingling, guys were stretching, and crowds cheering on their team.

Narumi couldn't believe what she saw. The place was congested with shirtless males. She held a hand to her mouth when she felt vomit rising in her throat.

"N-Naru-san?" Yuki turned around to see Narumi on the floor, her arms and legs sprawled around her in a heap. "S-she fainted?!"

Narumi woke up mere minutes later. Her head was leaning against something firm, but soon they twitched and screaming's ("Go, Go, Go!") became audible. She slowly opened her eyes to the warm sunlight. She tilted her head up to see blueish-black hair flowing near her face, and green eyes staring back at her.

"Oh, Narumi's awake!" The male smiled. Narumi blinked a few times before she comprehended who was in front of her.

"K-Kaito-chan?" Narumi gasped. She hadn't seen him for a week, he was too busy working.

Kaito laughed. "Yeah, its me. I can't believe you fainted before you saw this handsome face, I'm offended." He placed his hand above his heart and pouted.

"I-I fainted? Why…" Narumi finally grasped her surroundings. She was still at the swim meet, in fact, she was sitting in the crowd. There was a small group of fans screaming, "Go, go, go, Haru!" and a larger group screaming, "Swim!" Narumi's eyes darted down to the swim pool, where males were lined up for the race.

"Look, that's my brother, the one with the bright yellow cap!" Yuki budded in. "And there is Iwatobi's Nanase Haru-san (isn't he so dreamy?!) and there is Samezuka's Matsuoka Rin-san (no words can describe the perfection)."

Narumi's head swirled around in circles, her thoughts of the dreamy, maroon haired male was being chased by her fear. No matter what she thought, her fear drove everything away, even her dreams.

She held a hand up to her mouth and hid her head in Kaito's shirt. She couldn't do this. It was too much. Kaito rubbed her back soothingly. "It'll be okay."

Narumi clutched his black t-shirt firmly and took deep breaths. She needed to calm down, she had to.

Yuki stroked Narumi's hair, it was the least she could do, she knew the only one that could help her was Kaito.

"I didn't see you during the week, I missed your cooking." Narumi hiccupped.

"Yeah, I'm sorry. My works been wanting there for the whole week. I'll try coming over on the weekend." Kaito replied.

"Hey, Naru-san, I know this probably isn't best, but could you please watch… for me?" Yuki pleaded whilst playing with Narumi's hair.

She couldn't think of a reply. She was pushed, dragged and yelled at for the upcoming weeks to this event, and since she was here, it seemed reasonable to watch what Yuki was nagging about…

A male blew a whistle and counted down. Narumi lifted her head and her eyes drifted to Matsuoka Rin. She gagged and forcefully kept her bile inside her stomach. She had to do this for Yuki. Her eyes darted to her best friends older brother.

Yamada Masayoshi attended another school in the local radius, and was a year older than his sister. He was the type of guy girls fawn over, but he only had his brown eyes set on his girlfriend, Matsuoka Gou.

"Wait a minute…" Narumi turned to her best friend, "Is Masa-chan going out with Matsuoka Rin's sister?"

"Hmm?" Yuki titled her head. "Yes, yes he is! If you want, I could hook you up." She winked. Narumi furiously shook her head. There was no way that she could 'hook up' with him. She could hardly look at the other gender! Of course, Kaito was an exception.

The male who counted down pulled the trigger on a fake gun and a noise rung around the center. Not even a second later, the freestyle competitors dove into the water. The competing schools' fans and team mates cheered their respective swimmer to win. There were three in the lead, Matsuoka, Nanase and Yamada.

"Masayoshi's extremely fast." Kaito pointed out.

Yuki nodded, her expression full of pride for her brother. "His the fastest in his school!"

At the turn, Matsuoka raced into first. Yamada was soon left behind as Nanase and Matsuoka battled it out.

"Wow, Narumi, your tops full of sweat, and you look like a ghost… Are you sure your alright?" Kaito concerningly said. Narumi nodded in reply, she was scared that if she opened her mouth, she wouldn't be able to stop the vomit she could feel riding up. She had to do this for Yuki!

"That's the spirit, Naru-san!" Yuki cheered, she then faced her brother, "You can do it, Yoshi-oniisan!"

The race finished in seconds, and Matsuoka and Nanase tied for first place.

"Wow! That was so cool, lets go say hi to Yoshi-oniisan and then meet the winners!" Yuki stood up and held a hand out for Narumi. "Come on." The black haired girl impatiently waved her hand. "The winners will leave soon if we don't go down."

"I don't think she'll be ready to face them, let's face it, this is all she can handle for now." Kaito was always the reasonably one. Narumi smiled at him thankfully.

"Fine~." Yuki pouted and started walking towards her brother.

"I'm going to go with Yuki and make sure she doesn't jump one of them and scare the lights outta them. Go get a drink or something." Kaito handed Narumi enough money to buy herself a soft drink and left.

Narumi took deep breaths and willed herself to calm down. She casted her eyes down the floor and walked as fast as she could to get out of the choking atmosphere. Whenever she bumped into someone she quietly apologized and continued walking.

In a minute she stumbled upon a deserted hallway. She breathed in and out deep breaths until her heart beat calmed. She slowly walked around until she found a vending machine.

She paid for a coke and waited until the machine spurted in out. She heard footsteps behind her but she figured that Kaito was looking for her.

"Kaito-chan, I'm fine, really." She just needed a drink and she'll feel fine.

"Kaito?" That most definitely was not Kaito's voice. She froze and her irregular heat beat rapidly came back. The coke she paid for appeared in the slot at the bottom of the machine. She didn't have the energy or the mental capacity to reach for it.

"Uh… Are you okay?"

She turned around slowly, her red hair blocked her view for a few seconds until it unveiled the mysterious man in front of her.

Matsuoka Rin.

"N-No… No way…"

Narumi's eyes rolled into the back of her head as her vision faded to black.


End file.
